# Advanced packaging inspection technologies

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/advanced-packaging-inspection-technologies
> Updated: 2026-08-16T03:55:20.000Z. Sources: 7. Developments: 3.

In July 2026, Minebea Intec and Rohde & Schwarz announced new non‑intrusive inspection scanners for sealed products. Minebea Intec’s side‑shooter X‑ray systems image densely packed containers from the side, eliminating blind spots and detecting foreign objects at production speeds. Rohde & Schwarz’s R&S IMAGER uses millimeter‑wave radiation to create high‑contrast 3‑D images without ionising radiation, supporting AI‑driven fault detection for pharmaceuticals, logistics and food‑and‑beverage packaging.

In August 2026, the Fraunhofer Institute for Ceramic Technologies and Systems (Fraunhofer IKTS) advanced the use of optical‑coherence‑tomography (OCT) through its publicly funded ‘OCTInline’ project. By adapting technology originally developed for ophthalmology, researchers have integrated an OCT system into an industrial partner’s packaging machine to inspect seal seams in real time. Using near-infrared light, the system provides high-resolution, three-dimensional images of internal structures, capable of detecting pores, air inclusions, or insufficient welds as small as eight micrometres.

The OCT system operates continuously at production speeds of up to 25 metres per minute without damaging the product. This capability supports the quality control of regulated sectors, such as the medical and food industries, and aids sustainability goals by ensuring the integrity of recyclable monolayer films. Experts emphasize that for such high-speed visual inspection to be reliable, hardware and image-processing functions must be integrated early during the machine design and planning stages to ensure proper lighting, positioning, and stable data pathways.

Together, these developments show a rapid expansion of high-speed, non-destructive imaging methods—X-ray side-shooters, millimeter-wave scanners and OCT—being deployed to improve inline quality control, reduce recalls and waste, and support sustainability goals across the packaging industry.

## Timeline

### 2026-08-16: Fraunhofer IKTS develops real-time packaging defect detection system

Fraunhofer IKTS researchers developed an OCT-based system to detect microscopic defects in packaging seal seams in real time during production.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fraunhofer-ikts-develops-real-time-packaging-defect-detection-system

### 2026-08-03: Fraunhofer IKTS launches OCT-based inline seal inspection system for German packaging lines

Fraunhofer IKTS integrated optical coherence tomography into a packaging line, enabling real‑time, non‑destructive detection of seal defects as small as 8 µm at speeds up to 25 m/min.

5 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/fraunhofer-ikts-launches-oct-based-inline-seal-inspection-system-for-german-packaging-lines

### 2026-07-17: Minebea Intec and Rohde & Schwarz unveil advanced packaging inspection scanners

Minebea Intec’s side‑shooter X‑ray systems and Rohde & Schwarz’s millimeter‑wave R&S IMAGER deliver real‑time, non‑intrusive inspection of dense packaging, detecting hidden contaminants and defects across many

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/minebea-intec-and-rohde-schwarz-unveil-advanced-packaging-inspection-scanners

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Cite as: Advanced packaging inspection technologies. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/advanced-packaging-inspection-technologies